The UConn volleyball team’s season ended in disappointment as the program fell to Villanova in its first game of the Big East Tournament.
UConn made its way to Omaha, Neb. to face the Villanova Wildcats. After a hard-fought battle, the Wildcats won on the fifth set with a 3-2 final score.
Despite Villanova being the first to score, it was Connecticut that took an early 6-4 lead with kills from junior Emma Werkmeister and freshman Loren Winn. The Wildcats fought back, capitalizing on an attack error from the Huskies and scoring three consecutive kills. The game came to a tie at 10-all. From there the Wildcats continued their momentum, taking the lead 17-13. As UConn struggled with attack errors, Villanova extended their lead to 23-16. The Huskies fought back with kills from junior Hanna Tyslka and Winn as well as a service ace from sophomore Grace Maria. UConn closed the gap to 24-23, but a final kill from Villanova gave them the game lead of 1-0 as they won the first set.
Like the first set, the Wildcats were the first to score in the second set. However, the Huskies took the lead as they went on two 4-0 runs. Kills from senior Doga Kutlu, Winn, Werkmeister and Tyslka put Connecticut up 9-4. The Huskies extended their lead with three more kills from Tylska. The Wildcats mounted a comeback, closing the gap to just three points in the latter end of set. However, UConn was unstoppable as Tylska scored three more kills guaranteeing the Huskies the second set. Tying the game at 1-1.
The Huskies kept the momentum going into the third set. Winn scored two consecutive kills early on. Not to mention, Kutlu and graduate student Taylor Pannell added two kills of their own, giving UConn a 7-4 lead. Both teams traded points back and forth as they struggled with both offensive and defensive errors. Despite starting behind the Wildcats, Connecticut came back and tied the set at 15-15. However, UConn kept their lead with kills from freshman Anna Herman, Werkmeister and Winn bringing them to 23-20. Villanova once again came back to tie the set at 23-all. However, it was the Huskies who took the set 26-24 and the game lead.
Villanova came into the fourth set looking to tie the game. The Wildcats started the set with a four-point run and took an early 6-1 lead. The Wildcats extended their lead to 12-6 as UConn struggled to score points. Vilanova dominated the set as they capitalized on errors by the Huskies and scored several kills. Connecticut tried to fight back, closing the gap down to two points. However, in the end, two attack errors from the Huskies gave Villanova the set, tying the game again at two all.
Going into the final set both teams were looking to secure the win. Both programs traded points back and forth early in the set bringing the score to seven all, after aces from Werkmeister and sophomore Isabella Suhy. The Huskies took the lead with a kill from Tylska after the Wildcats struggled with attack errors. UConn came within two points of the win with a kill from Tylska. However, the Wildcats scored three consecutive points, taking the third set and securing themselves the win.
Despite the loss this has been an incredible season for the Huskies as they end with a 24-7 overall record and an undefeated out of conference record. However, that’s not where the success stopped as several players received recognition from the Big East. Freshman McKenna Brand was named Co-Freshman of the Year, alongside Xavior’s Margo Kemp. Aside from this, Brand was also an all–freshman team member.
Brand was not the only player in the program to receive recognition as Pannell, Kutlu and Werkmeister were all selected to the all-conference team.
The Huskies will now wait for the NCAA championship selection to find out if they will get the chance to compete in the postseason.